Uploading data to MYsql

[adupre]

I have a MSAccess program that manages Real Estate Listings. In the database it stores locations of JPGs for the listing.

I would like to add a button to the program that would sync this database and image folder with a website written in PHP with a MySQL database behind it.

I do not want to use/install an odbc driver for MySQl. I'm thinking about using FTP to upload the pictures to the proper web folder (No problem here, I've already done this) and creating a web service that will update the database using XML. (No idea)

I'm sure I can figure out how to create an xml file in MSAccess, but
1. How do I send it/in what form?
2. How do I setup a listening page that will accept the XML when it arrives?
3. Run PHP code to update the MYSQL database with the info from the XML. ( think I can figure out this portion.)
4. Return a success or failure flag to the MSAccess program.

If you know of any sites doing something like this and will show their source code, I could figure it out from there. Or can you recommend a good book/website for examples.

Adolph

[drawmack]

This solution requires that you install the php engine on your local server.

Step 1) Write a command line php script that will go into the database and create a text file (xml if you like but it doesn't have to be) that contains all of the data from the access database and then uses the php ftp commands to upload that file and all of the associated images to your web server.

Step 2) Test the shit out of this, you're not going to be there if it crashes during a run.

Step 3) Write a cron job that updates existing records in the mysql database from the text file, deletes records from the mysql database that do not exist in the text file, inserts records into the mysql database that do not exist there already and updates the images directory for you. Then delete the text file and the temp images.

Step 4) Test the shit out of this, including what it does when no text file exists. Remember, you're not going to be there when this thing crashes during a run.

Step 5) Thoroughly time the first script.

Step 6) Schedult the first script to run on your windoes machine.

Step 7) Take the max time from step 5 multiply it by two and give yourself that much time from the time you scheduled in step 6 and set the second script up as a cron that runs at this time.

That's all there is to it.

[adupre]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I think I understand what you're suggesting. First I know how to FTP directly out of MSAccess so why do I have to load PHP server on the computer with MSAccess?

I've though of creating a CSV text file with all the needed updates. This would be easier than creating a web service, but how do I get the server hosting the site to realize that there is an updated file sitting in a "update folder" without having the web server check the folder every X minutes/seconds.

I would like some way for my MSAccess program to tell the web server that there is an update file to process, and for the web server to send a message back saying that the text file as well as the image files were uploaded and processed sucessfully.

Any ideas.